A fast paced game that requires no skill whatsoever
For: 2 or more players, unlimited size, but large numbers can be unwieldy
Needs: One deck of cards, jokers removed, for up to four, maybe five or six, players. Add decks as needed.
The object of the game is to collect all the cards.
Deal out all the cards. Depending on the number in your game, some players may end up with one card more than others; that's ok. It will make little difference.
Players should keep their cards in a pile, face-down, but in their hands.
Choose a player to start any way you see fit.
Going left around the table, players play the top card from their hand, face-up, onto the game pile. This continues until someone turns up a face card or Ace.
If a face card or Ace is played, the next player has a certain number of cards to turn up their own face card or Ace.
If a player fails in playing their own face card or Ace, the original player who layed the face card or Ace rakes the entire game pile and places it, face-down, at the bottom of the pile of cards in their hand. They then play the top card, face-up, to the table to begin the next round.
If a player succeeds in playing their own face card or Ace, the next player to the left must now play their own face card or Ace using the same rules.
If, during the normal cycle of the game, two of the same cards happen to be played on top of one another (all cards are eligible, including face cards), the first person to slap the pile, regardless of whose turn it is, rakes the pile and places it in their hand.
The successful slapper then restarts play, and play passes to the left.
The game continues until someone has collected the entire deck of cards in their hand.
A player is out, obviously, when they have no more cards in their hand.
A question was raised about what happens when a player plays an Ace, and the next person only has two or three cards in their hand. In my experience, if "Player A" plays an Ace, and "Player B" plays his last cards without showing a face or Ace card, Player A rakes the pile. I prefer this style.
However, I have also seen games played where Player A plays an Ace, Player B only has two cards left and neither of them are face or Ace cards, so Player C has two chances to find a face or Ace to make up the required four. Either way is fine. Just agree on what rules you use before you play.
A pet peeve of mine are players who are out of cards and hover over the play pile, waiting for a double to slap back into the game. This is also a problem when people walk up to our game, after it was already in full swing, and ask to "Slap In."
These people had no other duty in the game but to hold their hands over the game pile, which offers a huge disadvantage to those of us still trying to play.
There are two ways to take care of Slap Hoverers. The first is simply don't allow players without cards to "slap in."
The second, and much more entertaining way, is to add the rule that before you slap the table, you must first slap your forehead. This keeps players from hovering their hand over the pile. It is also hilarious when people are in such a hurry to slap the pile that they almost knock themselves out.
Enjoy, and have tons of fun.